With rates of COVID-19 cases rising in many areas, it’s unlikely many teams will be heading back to the office anytime soon. That means Zoom calls and other forms of virtual communication may continue to be the norm for the foreseeable future.

Whether your team enjoys remote work, or they’re battling ‘Zoom fatigue,’ it’s worth your time to help your company have better virtual conversations at work. We’ll show you how to do it with ScreenPal. 

By now, you’ve likely heard the common complaints about live meeting calls during the pandemic. The growing list includes issues like:  

• Not feeling genuinely connected to the other meeting participants 
• Fatigue from too many back-to-back video calls
• Background distractions like pets, family, or clutter making it hard for listeners to focus
• Difficulty jumping into the conversations without interrupting someone

While these are all valid complaints, they are easy to solve with a little planning. 

Tips For Better Virtual Conversations 

Record Zoom calls 

If you’re meeting via Zoom, record your call if you can. That way absentees can watch later, and those who need a refresher can go back and watch it again. Simply hitting record will keep you from repeating yourself later. 

Add emphasis with edits 

Once you’ve saved your Zoom recording, use ScreenPal’s Zoom integration to open the video directly in the video editor. From there, you can cut out unnecessary parts and add helpful edits like captions, text callouts, highlights, photos, additional video clips, stock music, and more.

This is especially helpful for turning live virtual training sessions into re-watchable videos for future use. 

Don’t resort to email

If you’re not able to schedule a call, don’t just resort to email or Slack messages. Instead, use the screen recorder to make a quick video for your recipient. You’ll have an easier time getting your message across if you can show your face and body language. Encourage your coworker to reply with their own video too. This method prevents lengthy and confusing email chains.

Show and tell 

Need to explain a complex process, like how to use a new app? Make a screencast so your audience can watch you demonstrate each step as you explain. Many people are visual learners, so being able to see your screen will improve comprehension. 

Make eye contact

Often while on a live call, people will look at themselves in the corner of the screen, rather than at the person they’re speaking with, or at the camera. If you want to make a genuine connection, try looking into the camera as you record. Eye contact is an effective way to make people feel seen and understood.

No foreheads

People want to talk to you, not your forehead. Position your webcam so you’re in the frame from the shoulders up. 

Use a microphone 

If people have a hard time hearing you in meetings or recorded videos, use a microphone. You don’t need anything fancy. A simple lapel microphone or even a pair of earbuds with a small microphone built in will work. 

Pay attention 

Even in a virtual meeting, people can tell when you aren’t paying attention. Turn off notifications on your screen, close any unnecessary tabs or windows, and leave your phone alone while you’re on camera. Give the meeting your undivided attention. 

Minimize distractions

Try to set up in a quiet place with few distractions. If you have a cluttered space behind you, use the green screen to cover it up so people can focus on what you’re saying instead. 

Keep the group small

If you’re having a live call, try to keep the group small. People may not feel as comfortable jumping in on the conversation if there’s too much going on at once.  

Have an agenda

Whether you’re preparing for a live meeting or a recorded video, go in with a plan. You don’t necessarily need a script, but be sure to jot down a few talking points so you can stay on track. Let everyone know the topic ahead of time so they can prepare their own questions or comments too. 

Foster communication

Make sure everyone who wants to speak gets a chance. Some people may not feel comfortable speaking up during a Zoom call, so encourage everyone to record a quick video and send it to you privately if they’d prefer. Just because they don’t speak up on a call doesn’t mean they have nothing of note to say.

Set boundaries

Too many Zoom calls during the week can be overwhelming, so establish clear boundaries with your team. During what hours may calls be scheduled? Under what circumstances should they record a quick video instead? Having these guidelines can prevent Zoom fatigue. 

We hope these tips help you communicate better with your team. Once you put them into practice, they can help even after your team returns to the office.